1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for providing information related to products presented in a scene of a broadcast program from a broadcasting station or an internet broadcasting server to enable a viewer to obtain supplementary information such as shopping information for the products from a network using the provided information.
2. Background of the Related Art
With the rapid development and dissemination of communication technology, a lot of individuals have been connected to global data networks or the ‘Internet’ through high-speed cables. This technology makes it possible for most people to easily access information from the Internet at home. Thus, many enterprises are using the Internet as a marketing tool to deliver product advertising information.
In addition, television sets are now able to adopt data communication functions through the use of a set top box (STB), which can be used to receive a digital broadcast signal. This means that a television set can now be able to communication bi-directionally between the television viewer and the broadcaster. Now, more enterprises have begun to use this new technology as bidirectional marketing tools. That is, they insert product information into broadcast programs, rather than through a standard commercial, to be received by the television sets. Then, viewers can obtain supplementary information for buying products through selecting particular product information using their television set.
In marketing methods in the related art, broadcast programs include product information displayed during the broadcast program. When a viewer enters a specific button while watching the broadcast program, the television set maintains a still picture of the broadcast, and lists product names associated with the products presented in the still picture.
When a viewer selects one among the listed product names, the STB of the television set sends a product code linked with the selected product name to a predetermined place, usually a web site of a broadcasting station through a connected communication cable. After receiving the selected product codes, the predetermined web site sends the particular STB of the television set an accessing address of a site which will provide detailed shopping information including appearance and price of the selected products.
After the television set receives the accessing address, it can then resend this address through the Internet through the communication cable automatically or when a viewer requests to do so. Through these operations, the viewer receives detailed shopping information from the addressed site through an STB on their television set and can then purchase it through an on-line commercial transaction also through the STB on their television set.
However, this method of the related art is not very fast as it takes considerable time to acquire detailed shopping information for the products and a viewer is not able to watch a broadcast program during that time. Thus, viewers may not access the detailed shopping information even though desirable products are displayed on a screen, if they are unwilling to suspend watching a program to access this service.
The above references are incorporated by reference herein where appropriate for appropriate teachings of additional or alternative details, features and/or technical background.